Motor-driven corn-harvester



W. M. PIATT. MOTOR DRIVEN CORN HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17. I916- 1,1 9%,660. Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

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MOTOR DRIV EN CORN HARVESTER. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11.1916. 1,19%,660. Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 15, 1916.,

A Application filed February 17, 1916. Serial No. "78,924.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. PIATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vest Lib.erty,;in the county of Logan and- State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Driven Corn-Harvesters; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in two-row corn harvesters of the type illustrated in my U. S. Patent No. 1,067,059 of July 8, 1913, the object of the invention being to so mount an engine on the machine as to drive the same therefrom, yet to locate said engine at a point at which considerable waste space now occurs.

To this end, the'invention resides in certain novel features of construction and in unique combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matterbeing supplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitute part of this invention, and in which Figures 1 and 2 are top} plan views of the improved machine with parts eliminated for the sake of more readily disclosing the improved features, the last named figure being taken substantially on the plane of theline 22 of Fig. 3; Fig; 3 is a longitudinal section as viewed on the plane indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the plane of the line H of Fig. 3.

In these drawings, the numeral 1 designates the main frame of the machine, said frame including a pair of longitudinally disposed side members 2 Whose forward ends are supported by wheels 3 mounted on appropriate axles 4. Positioned centrally be tween the rear halves of the members 2, is a rectangular frame 5 in which the swinging legs 6 of the longitudinal jib 7 are mounted said jib being operated in the old manner by a. pitma-n 8 pivoted to one leg and extending from a crank pin on a gear 9. This gear is driven by a. chain or the equivalent from a transverse shaft 10 around which a pair of endless belt conveyers 11 pass. The conveyers are mounted between the members 2 and frame 5 as heretofore. Through the instrumentality of a clutch or the like 12 operated by a hand lever 13,. the shaft 10 may be driven by appropriate gearing 14.

The gearing in question is operated from a transverse horizontal line shaft 15whose opposite ends extend beyond the members 2 and are operatively connected by sprocket chalns or similar connections 16 with the wheels 3, or with the axles of the latter, as the case may be. I-Ieretofore, the shaft 15 has been driven from the wheels 3 as the machine was drawn over the earth, but as will be hereinafter explained, this shaft now drives said wheels.

Extending forwardly from the front end of the frame 5 but offset laterally from the sidebars thereof, is a pair of rigid guide arms 17 between which and the front ends of the members 2, the rows of corn being cut are received, said rows coming into engagement with appropriate cutting devices 18, after which the severed, stalks will be received on and formed into shocks upon the conveyers 11 in the manner described in the specification of the above referred to patient. These shocks are tied by any preferred means which for the sake of clearness in the present application, is eliminated.

Appropriate chains 19 correctly support the stalks of corn for proper presentation to the cutters 18, said chains being passei'l around sprockets on the upper ends of front and rear upright shafts 20 which rise from and are rotatably supported by the arms 17, the rearmost shafts 20 being driven by gear and pinion connections 21 from the shaft 15. After the devices 18 have cutthe stalks of. corn, they are fed rearwardly to the proper extent by. additional feed chains 22 driven from the rearmost of the shafts 20. The cutters 18 may be operated in any preferred manner, but they are preferablydriven by suitable connections from gears on the line shaft 15.

The foregoing is a brief description of the machine as heretofore manufactured, the improvements residing in positioning an en gine 24 in the waste space between the arms 17 in using this engine for running the entire machine, in making other necessary alterations, in providing an eflicie'nt means for reinforcing the frame 1 in the necessary manner for withstanding vibration from the engine (usually gasolene) and in using such reinforcing means as the primary support for said engine, and also as'means for carrying the earth engaging steering wheelof the machine.

ated, a pair of one-piece parallel channel steel bars 25 extend throughout the length of the main frame of the machine, said bars being secured in place by bolts or the like 26 and underlying the side bars 5 of the frame 5. The rear ends of the bars 25 extend rearwardly from the aforesaid frame and are rigidly secured to a bearing bracket 27 in which the upright shaft 28 of one or more earth engaging steering wheels 29 is mounted. Through appropriate link and lever connections 30, the two wheels 29 shown in the present case, may be operated from an upright hand lever 31 positioned adjacent a drivers seat 32 near which the lever 13 is also disposed.

The front ends of the bars 25 extend between and in spaced parallel relation to the guide arms 17 as shown clearly in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, said ends supporting thereon. transverse engine sleepers 32 rigidly secured thereto, the ends of said sleepers being in turn anchored in any preferred manner to the arms 17. The engine 2% is supported on the sleepers 32 and transmits power to the shaft 15 through the instrumentality of any appropriate means such as a sprocket chain 33, said engine therefore driving the wheels 3 to propel the entire machine forwardly, actuating the feed chains 19 and 22, and operating the conveyers 11 whenever the clutch 12 is thrown in by proper operation of the lever 13. The controls for the engine 24. (not here illustrated) will lead rearwardly therefrom to an appropriate point in easy reach of the operator. Thus, the entire operation of the machine may be reliably controlled from the seat 32.

Particular emphasis is laid upon the fact that by disposing the channel bars 25 as shown and described, they reinforce the entire main frame of the machine to withstand the vibration of the engine 24; they serve as the primary supports for said engine, and they also provide an effective means of mounting the steering wheels 29. i

In the foregoing description, certain specific details of construction have been described for accomplishing probably the best results, and although such details have been illustrated, it will be readily understood that numerous minor changes may be made within the scope of the invention without sacrificing the main advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. In a two-row motor driven corn harvester, the combination of a portable frame disposed horizontally and having a pair of forwardly extending guide arms adapted to travel between the rows of corn being cut, an engine bed mounted between and secured to said arms to economize in space, an engine on said bed for driving the machine, and a pair of one-piece bars extending longitudinally beneath the frame and bed and secured rigidly to both, said bars serving to reinforce the frame sufficiently to withstand the vibration of the engine and at the same time relieving said arms of the weight of said engine.

2. In a two-row motor driven corn harvester, the combination of a portable frame disposed horizontally and having a pair of forwardly extending guide arms adapted to travel between the rows of corn being cut, an engine bed mounted between and secured to said arms to economize in space, an engine on said bed for driving the machine, a pair of one piece bars extending longitudinally beneath the frame and bed and secured rigidly to both, said bars extending rearwardly from the frame, a bracket member secured rigidly between the rear ends of said bars, and a dirigible truck upon which said bracket member is mounted, the aforesaid bars serving to reinforce the entire frame sufiiciently to withstand vibration from the engine, and also relieving the arms of the weight of said engine.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM M. PIATT.

Witnesses:

A. J AY MILLER. H. B. Emerson. 

